Material testing apparatus



Nov. 19, 1946.

Fig.1.

C. E. MILLER ET AL MATERIAL TESTING APPARATUS Filed July 28, 1944 Inventors:

Caries E. Miller, Robert, J. Demar inf,

b 4 ,4 fx

Their Attorney.

reamed Nov. 19, 1946 2,411,450 MATERIAL TESTING APPARATUS Charles E. Miller, Scotia,

tlni, Schenectady, N. Y

Electric Company,

and Robert J. Demarasaiznors to General a corporation or New York Application July 28, 1944, Serial No. 547371 16 Claims. (Cl. "BB- 90} This invention relates to the testing of materials, more particularly to apparatus for testing material samples, and it has for an object the provision of a simple, reliable, inexpensive, and improved apparatus of this character.

in the testing of many materials such as textile fabrics, the apparent strength of the material as determined by a testing machine varies materially with variations in the rate at- Which load is applied to the test sample. The rate or" application of load to the material sample, in turn, depends upon the elasticity or stretchiness of the material. sample. Consequently,

markedly different indications of tensile strength are obtained from material samples having the same actual tensile strength but having difierent elasticities. Accordingly, a further object of this invention is the provision of means for controlling a testing machine in such a manner that the rate of application of is independent of the elasticity of the material and therefore reproducible from sample to sample.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for controlling the testing machine in such a manner that the application of load is substantially uniform for all materials irrespective of their elasticity.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of the character described in the foregoing in which the initial rate at which load is imposed on the same is low so that substantially all possibility of shoot: is eliminated.

In carrying the invention into effect in. form thereof, a, testing machine is utilizedwhich has a pair of members for holding the test sample. One of these members is driven by an electric motor in a direction to apply 'a force to the sample. Means are provided for producing a variable reference speed of which the rate of variation is substant ally constant. Additional means are provided for producing a signal volt age which is proportional to the load on the material sample. The difference between the two voltages is utilized to control the motor which drives the testing machine to equalize the rate at which the load is being applied to the sample with the rate of variation of the reference voltage. In one specific embodiment of the invention, a movable member is driven a con stant speed by a synchronous motor, and another movable member is driven at a speed hav ing a predetermined relationship to the rate at which load is being applied to the test sample.

load to the test sample the shaft of an electric motor 6.

Means are provided for producing a control voltage which varies in accordance with the difference in speeds the l retainers. This control voltage is utilized to control suitable electric valve apparatus to control the supply of current to the motor which drives testing machine to e" speeds oi the two 2nem= hers. means are pro vided for 3 eference volt= o 5 produces opal the 7 voltages has the two Q d the din utilised contr voltages a-..d t to the rate.

should now he and to the Fig. 1 is a an embed-la a modifica- 9 had to the following s accompanying drawing of simple, diagrammaticai sketch of ment of the invention and'Fig. 2 is tion.

Referring now to the drawing, a material testing machine is illustrated as being provided with two members i and 2 for holding a sample of the material which is to he tested for tensile strength. Each of the members i and may he a conventional pair of jaws for securely gripping the sample. The lower of jaws 2 i mounted on a screw which is in threaded engagement with a nut (not shown) within t gear box G. The nut is connected through a gear train and a'chain and sprocket drive t Although the motor 53 may be of vany suitable type, it is illustrated as a separately excited motor. The upper pair of jaws is connected through a chain J to a drum t? which is rotatably mounton the frame of the machine. Secured to the drum is a pendulum 9 comprising an arm'lla having a Weight 921 on the iree'end.

in order to cause the load to he applied to the test sample at a uniform rate, suitable means are provided for. comparing the rate of application of load to the test sample with a'constant reference speed, and utilizing trol the speed of the motor For the purpose of providing an indication of the rate of application of load tothe test sample, the slider like of a potentiometer is mechanically connected, to the pendulum icy means of a rod 3 l, a chain it, and a sprocket 53. One end of the rcdfii is provided with a pin Ha which slides in a slot in the pendulum arm. The

the difierence to con-' proportional to the speedof the rod H.

The load on the test sample varies with the angular position of the pendulum. Since the weight of the pendulum remains constant, the load on the sample varies with the length of the moment arm of the weight 9b about the center of the drum 8.. Owing to theslotted connection of the rod l I with the pendulum, the position of the rod i i varies in a lengthwise direction approximately in proportion to the changing length of the moment arm of weight 9b. Thus, the position of the rod H is an approximate measure of the load on the sample, and the speed of the lengthwise movement of the rod is a measure of the rate of application of load to the test sample. Since the speed of the potentiometer slider we is proportional to the lengthwise speed of the rod II, it is also proportional to the rate of application of load to the test sample.

The reference speed with which the rate of application of load to the sample is compared, is provided by means of a synchronous motor 95 which drives the slider 86a of a potentiometer it at constant speed. The synchronous motor as is preferably of the single-phase, self-starting type, i. e., the motor starts immediately when it is connected to a single-phase source such as represented by the supply line H.

A limit switch i8 actuated by the pendulum near the beginning of its counterclockwise rotation serves to connect the synchronous motor it to the source it, and a limit switch as which is actuated by the synchronous motor itself serves to interrupt the connections of the synchronous motor to the source after a predetermined amount of rotation, thereby to prevent the slider ifia from being driven past its end position.

The resistors of the potentiometers iii and it are connected in parallel with each other and inseries with the operating coil 2dr: of a line contactor 2d across the control voltage buses 2i and 22. A. substantially constant direct voltage is supplied to the control voltage buses 2i and 22 by means of suitable rectifying means which is illustrated as a double diode electric valve 28 of which the anodes 23a. and 23b are connected to opposite terminals of the secondary winding 2% of the supply transformer 2d, and the cathode is connected to the bus 2i. The bus 22 is connected by means of a conductor 25 to the center tap of the secondary winding 25a of the supply transformer. The primary winding 2% of supply transformer 25 is connected to a suitable source of alternating voltage such as represented by the two supply lines 26. As thus connected, the valve 23 operates as a full wave rectifier to supply a rectified voltage to the buses 2i and 22, As shown, the separately excited field winding 5d of the motor 6 is connected across the'buses' 2i and 22.

The armature 6b of the motor 5 is supplied from suitable electric valve means illustrated as a pair of thyratrons 21 and 28. The anodes 211a and 28a of these thyratrons are connected to opposite terminals of the. supply transformer secondary winding 24a, and the cathodes 21b and 28b are connected through conductor 29 and the main contacts 20b of contactorZil to one terminal of the motor armature 6b. The other terminal of the armature is connected to bus 22 which, as pointed out in the foregoing, is connected to the center tap of the secondary wind ing 2411. As thus connected, the thyratrons 21 and 28 rectify both half-waves of the alternating voltage and supply the rectified voltage to the armature 6b.

The speed of the motor 6 is adjusted by varying the average current conducted by the thyratrons. Although the thyratrons may be controlled by any suitable method, it-is preferred to use the method of phase shift control of the grid voltage. For the carrying out of this method of control, a phase shifting resistance-reactance network is provided. This network comprises a secondary .winding 240 of the transformer 24, resistors 30 and 3!, and capacitors 32 and 33. The resistors and capacitors are connected in series relationship across the secondary winding 240. The circuit is traced from the left-hand terminal of the secondary winding 240 through resistor 30, capacitor 32, the common cathode connection 34, capacitor 33, and resistor 3! to the opposite terminal of the secondary winding 2 30.

The common point 360, of resistor 30 and capacitor 32 is connected through a resistor 35 to the grid 210 of thyratron 21. Similarly, the common point em between resistor 35 and capacitor 33 is connected through a resistor 36 to the grid 280 of thyratron 28, The capacitativereactance Xe of the capacitors 32 and 33 is chosen relatively small in comparison with the resistance R of resistors 30 and 3E. Thus the alternating voltages across the capacitors 32 and 33 lag the voltage of the secondary winding approximately electrical degrees. Since the voltage across the capacitors 32 and. 33 are applied to the grids 27c and 280, the voltages of grids 2'30 and 280 lag the voltages of the anodes Z'la and 28a, respectively, approximately 90 degrees.

. The effect of phase shift of the grid voltage is produced by ap-plyinga variable component of direct voltage to the grids in addition to the 90- degree lagging alternating voltage component. This is accomplished by means of a pair of electric valves 3? and 33 connected in series relationship across the transformer secondary 240. The valve 3? is preferably a triode valve and the valve 38 is preferably a diode valve. The circuit istraced from the left hand terminal of the secondary winding 25c to the anode 37a of valve 3?, cathode 37b, potentiometer 86, bus 22, armature 5?), through upper contacts 281) of contactor 2B in the closed position thereof to the common cathode connection 3%, resistor 39, anode 38a of valve 38, cathode 38b to the opposite terminal of the secondary winding 260. Thus, the triode valve 27 is in parallel circuit relationship with capacitor 32 and the diode valve 38 is in parallel circuit relationship with capacitor 33.

When the valves 3? and 38 are conducting, charges are placed on the capacitors 32 and 33, and as a result, a component of direct voltage is applied to the grids 2'80 and 280. The combination of this direct voltage component with the lagging alternating component roduces the effect of phase shift of the grid voltage and corresponding variation of the average current transmitted by the thyratrons.

The amount of phase shift of the grid voltage of the thyratrons, and consequently the amount of current transmitted by the thyratrons, can be varied by varying the relative conductivities of the triode valve 31 and the diode valve 38. This is accomplished simply by varying the conductivity of the triode valve. For this purpose, the cathode 31b of the triode valve is connected to the slider 16a of'potentiometer l6, and the control grid 31c is connected to the slider Illa of potentiometer ID.

If the voltage of the grid 31c becomes less negative or increasingly positive with respect to the voltage of the cathode 31b, the conductivity of valve 31 is increased. This has the effect of retarding the phase of the grid voltage of the thyratrons 27 and 28 thereby to decrease the ourrent supplied to thearmature 6b of the motor 6.

Conversely, if the grid voltage becomes increas-' ingly negative with respect to the cathode voltage, the phase of the thyratron grid voltage is advanced and the current supplied to the armature is correspondingly increased,

With the foregoing understanding of the elements and their organization in the completed system, the operation of the system itself will readily be understood from the following detailed description. It is assumed that the apparatus is in the position in which it is illustrated in the drawing with the lower jaws 2 in their uppermost position. At the lowermost position of the lower jaws 2 during the previous test run, the limit switch 40 which is actuated by the screw 3, closed its contacts to complete an energizing circuit for the operating coil 41a of the field contactor 41. In response to energization, contactor 4| closed its normallybpen contacts 4lb, Me, and 41d andopened its normally closed contacts Me and 4| The opening of contacts Me and 4| f and the closing of contacts Mia and 4| 0 reversed the connections of the field winding 6a to provide for rotation of the motor 6 in a direction to drive the lower jaws 2 toward their uppermost position. The closing of contacts 41d completed a sealing-in circuit for the operating coil No of the field contactor 4! in parallel with the contacts of the limit switch 40 so that the contactor remained picked up after the contacts of the limit switch 40 opened in response to the upward movement of the jaws 2.

In the uppermost position of the lower jaws 2, a clutch (not shown) in the testing machine is disengaged to interrupt the driving connection between the motor 6 and the screw 3. Assuming that the motor 6 was stopped with the machine in this position by pressing the stop pushbutton switch 42, it is now necessary to restart the motor 6. This is done by momentarily depressing the start pushbutton switch 43 to close its contacts and thereby complete an energizing circuit for the operating coil 20a of the line contactor 20. In response to energization, the line contactor closes its main contacts 20b and interlock contacts 20c and opens its normally closed dynamic braking contacts 20d. The contacts 20:1 in opening interrupt the dynamic braking circuit through the dynamic braking resistor 44 in parallel with the armature, and the main contacts 2% in closing complete the connections of the armature to the cathodes 21b and 28b of the thyratrons 21 and 28. The closing of contacts 200 in parallel with the contacts of the start push- As a result, the grid voltages of the thyratrons 27 and 28 are retarded to the thyratrons supply a minimum current to the armature of the motor 8 which therefore rotates at a low creeping speed. I

The direction of rotation is such as to drive the lower pair oi Jaws 2 in an upward direction. However, as pointed out, the lower pair of jaws 2 are in their uppermost position with the clutch between the motor and the screw 3 disengaged so that there is no movement of the jaws at this point in the operation.

The test sample is now firmly secured in the upper and lower jaws i and The test run is initiated by shifting the lever 55 to engage the clutch to complete the driving connections between the motor '8 and the screw 3. The shifting of the clutch lever 45 opens contacts 48 to lnterupt the holding circuit for the operating coil of the field contactor 4i. In response to deenergization, the field contactor drops out to open its normally open contacts 4lb, 4E0, and Md and to close its normally closed contacts die and 4i Contacts 4m in opening interrupt the holding circuit for the coil 4la so that the contactor 4! cannot be picked up by a subsequent movement of the lever 35. i I

The lower jaws 2 start downwardly at a very low speed to remove the stretch from the sample. When the stretch is completely removed, the pendulum 9 begins to rotate in a counterclockwise direction thereby to apply load to the test sample. After a very small amount of rotation oi. the pendulum 9, the contacts of a limit switch l8 actuated by the pendulum 9 are closed to complete an energizing circuit for the operating coil 47a of a relay 41. In response to energization, the relay 41 opens its normally closed contacts 4'"; and closes its normally open contacts 4'10. In closing, the contacts 410 connect the synchronous motor l5 to the source H for rotation in a direction to rotate the slider l6a of potentiometer IS in a counterclockwise direction.

As the slider iGa moves in a counterclockwise direction along the and applies increasingly positive voltages to the cathode 31b of the valve 31. conductivity of the valve 37 is decreased and the phase of the grid voltages of the thyratrons 21 and 28 is advanced. The advance in phase of the grid voltages of the thyratrons increases the current supplied to the armature of the motor 6 thereby increasing the speed of the motor 6 and also the downward speed of the jaws 2 driven thereby. The increasing downward speed of the jaws 2 increases the speed of the counterclockwise rotation of the pendulum 9 so that the button switch 43 completes a holding circuit for the operating coil of the line contactor so that the start pushbutton switch 43 may now be released. V

With the sliders Illa and lGa of the potentiometers J0 and IS in the positions in which they are illustrated, the voltage of the grid 310 of the valve 31 is so positive with respect to the voltage of its cathodethat the valveis fully conducting.

slider Illa of the potentiometer H! which is driven by the pendulum begins, to overtake the slider l6a of the potentiometer l6 which is driven by the synchronous motor.

\ When the speeds of the two sliders become equal, there will be'no further increase in the speed of the motor 6. This is an indication that the rate 'of application of load to the test sample, i. e., the rate of increase of load on the test sample, is proportionate to the constant speed of the slider lSa and is therefore uniform.

If, owing to some nonuniformity of the sample or other cause, the rate of application of load to the test sample should tend to decrease, the slider Illa will begin to lag the slider Ilia. The result is that the voltage applied to the grid 310 does positive direction as rapidly as the voltage applied to the cathode 31b. Consesuch an extent that As a result, the

acnneo stant speed the synchronous motor iii, the

slider Illa will lead the slider lea. with the result that the voltage of the, grid 31c becomes increasingly positive with respect to the voltage a or the cathode 3112. This increases the conductivity of the valve 31 and retards the phase of the grid voltages of the thyratrons-Z'i' and 3 8 thereby to decreasethe speed of the motor 6. Thus, the rate oi application of load to thetest sample is maintained uniform throughout the test.

At some point in the downward travel 01 the lower jaws 2, the test sample is ruptured. At the lower end of the downward travel of the jaws 2. the limit switch at closes its contacts to complete an energizing circuit for the operating coil Ma of the field contactor M which. responsively to energization reverses the field connections of the field ,winding do to the source. This reverses thedirection of rotationof the motor ii and'ca'uses it to drive the screwt and the pair of jaws 2 in an upward direction. This continues until the jaws 2 reach their uppermost position and the clutch in the machine is disengaged to interrupt the driving connections between the motor 6 and the screw 3.

The synchronous motor to continues driving the slider iGa until it reaches its limiting position in which the limit switch it opens its contacts to disconnect the synchronous motor from the source H. The pendulum, which is held in itsupper position by means oi. a pawl and ratchet mechanism (not shown) is manually returned by the operator to its initial position. In returning to its initial position, the contacts of the limit switch i8 are opened to deenergize the operating coil d'la of the contactor 4'5. In response to deenergization, the contactor 8'! drops out to open its normally open contacts die and close its normally closed contacts 4%. In closing, the contacts Alb complete the connections of the synchronous motor its to the source ii through the contacts of a limit switch to and the reverse field winding/ I50; of the synchronous motor i5. In response to this reverse energization, the motor it rotates in-the reverse direc tion to return the slider ifia to its initial position in which the contacts of the limitswitch W are opened to disconnect the synchronous motor from the source it. At the beginning of the reverse rotation, the contacts of the limit switch i9 are reclosed thereby leaving the system in a reset conditionior a subsequenttest.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 2, the potentiometer it of Fig. 1 is replaced by an induction voltage regulator dB. This regulator has a stator coil 39a and an inductively related rotor coiiifib. The stator coil is supplied from a suitable source of alternating voltage which is rep-- resented in Fig. 2 by the two supply lines 58. This source may be and preferably is the same as the single phase alternating voltage source 2% of Fig. 1. The rotor member upon which the rotor coil 6% is mounted is mechanically connected by means of a shaft 5!], or other suitable coupling means, to the shaft of the testing machine drum '52. The drum. 52 corresponds to the drum 8 of the modification of Fig. 1 and carries a pendulum 53 which corresponds to the pendulum 9 of the Fig. 1 modification.

When the axis of the rotor coil 49b is at right angles to the axis of the stator coil 49a, the voltage induced in the rotor coil is zero. For all other positions of the rotor coil, the induced voltage is proportional to the sine of the angle between the-axis of the rotor coil and the zerov position.

The moment arm of the pendulum 53 about the rotational axis of the drum 52 is proportional to the sine of the angle between the axis of the pendulum and the zero or vertical position thereof. As pointed out in connection with the modification of Fig. l, the load on the material sample in the testing machine is proportional to the moment arm of the mn'dulum about its center of rotation. Owing to the mechanical connection between the rotor coil 4% and the drum 52, the rotor coil is rotated through the same angle as that through which the pendulum is rotated. Since the'load on the material sample.

and the voltage induced in the rotor coil are both proportional to the sine of this angle, the

induced voltage is thus a measure of the load on the material sample.

This voltage is stepped up by means of a transformer 5d and rectified by suitable means which is illustrated as a bi-phase half wave rectifier valve 55 of which the anodes 55a and 5512 are connected to opposite terminals of the secondary winding of the transformer and the twin cathodes 55c and 55d are connected through a potentiometer 56 and a fixed resistor 5'! to the center tap of the secondary winding. The potentiometer 56 serves for initially adjusting the rectified voltage across the conductors 5B and 58. The remainder of the modification of Fig. 2 is identical with corresponding parts of the modification of Fig. 1 and consequently it is omitted from the drawing. 7

In connecting the induction voltage regulator 69 in place of the potentiometer iii of Fig. l,

the conductor 58 of Fig. 2 is connected to the The operation of the system of Fig. 2 is identical with the operation ofthe system of Fig. 1 except that the signal voltage proportional to load on the material sample is supplied by the induction voltage regulator Ml instead of being supplied by the potentiometer In of Fig. 1.

Although in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes this invention is described as embodied in concrete form and the principle thereofhas been explained, together with the best mode in which it is now contemplated applying that principle, it will be understood that the apparatus shown and described is merely illustrative and that the invention is not limited thereto, since alterations and modifications will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit of this invention or from the scope of the annexed claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

i. In combination, a material testing machine, an electric motor for driving said machine to apply a load to a material specimen, a reference speed device and means responsive to the difference between the speed of said reference speed device and the rate of application of load to said material'specimen for controlling said motor to equalize said rate and said speed.

2. In combination, a material testing machine, an electric motor for driving said machine to apply a load to a material specimen, a reference speed device, means for producing a control voltage having a predetermined relationship to the difierence between the speed of said reference speed device and rate of application of load to said material specimen, and electric valve means responsive to said voltage for controlling said motor to equalize said rate and said speed.

3. In combination, a material testing machine, an electric motor for driving said machine to apply a load to a material specimen, a synchronous motor, means responsive to the dif ference between the speed of said synchronous motor and the rate of applicationof load to said material specimen for producing a control voltage, and electric valve means responsive tov said voltage for controllingsaid motor to equalize said rate and said speed.

4. In combination, a material testing machine, an electric motor for driving said machine-to apply a load to a material specimen, a synchronous motor, means for producing a control voltage having a predetermined relationship to the difference between the speed of said synchronous motor and the rate of application of load to said material specimen comprising a potentiometer having its slider connected to be driven by said synchronous motor and having its slider connected to be driven by said machine at a speed proportional to the rate of application of load to said specimen, and electric valve apparatus responsive to said voltage for controlling said motor to equalize the speeds of said sliders.

5. In combination, a material testing machine having a pair of members for holding a material specimen, an electric motor connected to drive one of said members, a pivotally mounted pendulum connected to the other of said members to provide for increasingly loading said specimen in response to movement of said motor driven member, a synchronous motor, a first member driven by said synchronous motor at a constant speed, a second member driven in response to movement of said pendulum at a speed proportional to the speed of said pendulum, means for producing a controlvoltage having a predetermined relationship to the difierence between the speed 01' said first member and the speed of said second member, and electric valve apparatus responsive to said control voltage for controlling said motor to equalize the speeds of said first and second members thereby to cause load to be applied to said specimen at a constant rate.

6. In combination, a material testing machine having a pair of members for holding a material specimen, an electric motor connected to drive one of said members, a pivotally mounted pendulum connected to the other of said members to provide for increasing the load on said specimen in response to movement of said motor driven member, means for producing a control voltage having a predetermined relationship to the diil'erence between the rate of increasing the load on said specimen and a constant rate comprising a synchronous motor, a potentiometer having its slider connected to be driven by said synchronous motor and a second potentiometer having its slider cona second potentiometer first mentioned motor to equaliz the speeds of said sliders thereby load to said specimen at a constant rate.

7. In combination, a material testing machine having a pair or members for holding a material specimen, an electric motor connected to drive one of said members, a pivotally mounted pendulum connected to the other of said members to provide for increasing the load on said specimen in response to movement of said motor driven member, means for producing a control voltage having a predetermined relationship to the difierence between the rate or increasing the load on said specimen at a constant rate comprising a synchronous motor,,a source of substantially constant control voltage, a potentiometer having its slider connected to be driven by said synchronous motor and a second potentiometer having its slider connected to be driven in response to movement of said pendulum, and an electric valve proconnected to one vided with an anode,a cathode of said sliders and a grid connectedto the other nccted to be driven in response to movement of I of said sliders for controlling the supply of current to said first motor to equalize the speeds of said sliders thereby to eifect application of load to said specimen at a constant rate.

8. In combination, a material an electric motor for driving said machine to apply a load to a material specimen, electrical means vfor producing a reference voltage varying substantially linearly with time, means responsive to application of load to said material specimen for producing a signal control voltage substantially proportional to the load on said material specimen, and electric valve mean responsive to the diflerence of said voltages for controlling said motor to equalize the rates of variation of said voltages thereby to effect application of load to said specimen at a constant rate.

9. In combination, a material testing machine, an electric motor for driving said machine to apply a load to a material specimen, means for producing a reference voltage having a substantially constant rate of variation, an induction voltage regulator responsive to application of load producing a signal control voltage proportional to said lead, and means responsive to the difference of said voltages for controlling said motor to equalize the rates 01' variation of said voltages thereby to efl'ect application of load to said specimen at a constant rate;

10. In combination, a material testing machine, an electric motor for driving said machine to apply a load to a material specimen, means for producing a reference voltage having a substantially constant rate of variation, means for producing a signal voltage proportional to the load on said material specimen, and means responsive to the diflerence of said voltages for controlling the motor to equalize the rates of variation of said voltages thereby to effect application of load to said material specimen at a constant rate.

11. In combination, a material testing machine, an electric. motor for driving said machine to apply a load to a material specimen, an electrical device for producing a reference voltage having a substantially constant rate of variation, means responsive to the application of load to said material specimen for producing a signal control voltage having a rate of variation proportional tothe rate of application of load to said material specimen and means responsive to the difference of such voltages for controlling said motor to equalize the rates of variation of said voltage thereby to to eflect the application oftesting machine,

QAZEAEQ efiect application 0! load to said specimen at a constant rate.

12. In combination, a material testing machine having a pair of members for holding a material specimen, an electric motor connected to drive one of said members, a pivotally mounted pendulum connected to the other of said members to provide for increasingly loading said specimen in response to movement of said motor driven member, means for producing a reference voltage having a substantially constant rate of variation, an induction voltage regulator driven by said pendulum for producing a signal control voltage proportional to the load on said material specimen, and electric valve means responsive to the diiference of said voltages for controlling said motor to equalize the rates of variation of said voltages thereby to effect application of load to said specimen at a constant rate.

13. In combination, a material testing machine having a pair of members for holding a material specimen, an electric motor connected to drive one of said members, a pivotally mounted pendulum connected to the other of said members to provide for increasingly loading said specimen in response to movement of said motor driven member, electrical means for producing a direct reference voltage having a substantially constant rate of variation, an induction voltage regulator I driven by said pendulum for producing an alternating voltage having an efiective value proportional to the load on said specimen, means for rectifying said alternating voltage to produce a direct signal control voltage proportional to said load, and electric valve means responsive to the dlfierence of said reference voltage and signal voltage for controlling said motor to equalize the rates of variation voltage corresponding to a of said reference voltage and said signal voltage thereby to effect application of load to said specimen at a substantially constant rate.

1%. Control apparatus for a material testing machine comprising an electric motor for applying a load to a material specimen, a source of reference predetermined rate of application of load to said material specimen, means for producing a signal voltage corresponding to the rate of application of load to said specimen by said motor, and means responsive to the difierence of said voltages for controlling said motor to equalize said rates.

15. Control apparatus for a material.testing machine comprising an electric motor for applying a load to a material specimen, a source of reference voltage, means for producing a signal voltage corresponding to the rate of application of load to said specimen, and electric valve means responsive to the diflerence of said voltages for controlling said motor to maintain the rate of application of load to said specimen constant.

16. Control apparatus for a material testing machine comprising an electric motor for applying a load to a material specimen, a source of reference voltage corresponding to a predetermined rate of application of load to said specimen, means comprising an induction voltage regulator responsive to the load appliedto said specimen for producing a signal voltage corresponding to the rate of application of load to said specimen and electric valve means responsive to the diiference of said voltages for controlling said motor to 'efiect application of load to said specimen at said CHARLES E. MILLER. RQBERT J. DEMARTINI. 

